A Gift Before Dying - by Malcolm Kempt (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In a gripping and hauntingly atmospheric novel set against the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, a disgraced police investigator discovers that his path to redemption is paved with ice-and blood"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Hypnotically good--instantly immersive, intense, and ultimately inspiring."--Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series

In a hauntingly atmospheric novel set against the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic Circle, a disgraced police investigator discovers that his path to redemption is paved with ice--and blood.

After a botched high-profile murder investigation, Corporal Elderick Cole is exiled to the remote, rugged landscape of Nunavut, a vast territory in the Arctic Circle known for its untamed beauty, frigid temperatures, and endless winter nights. With his family having severed all ties, Cole waits out the result of a civil lawsuit alone--the wrong verdict could end what's left of his flailing career.

His bleak existence takes a sinister turn when he discovers the hanging body of Pitseolala, a troubled Inuit girl whom he had sworn to protect. Her death dredges up demons he thought he'd buried along with the scars of a fractured marriage and the aching divide between him and his estranged daughter.

As Cole's life unravels--and with it, the fragile thread of his investigation, he turns to Pitseolala's younger brother, Maliktu, a fellow outsider. It's then that Cole uncovers what binds them--a singular mission to find her killer.

Against fierce backlash, Cole's overriding desire to redeem just one aspect of his otherwise failed life becomes an obsession--and he's willing to break every rule in his unyielding pursuit of justice and the smallest shred of redemption.

Review Quotes

"Hypnotically good--instantly immersive, intense, and ultimately inspiring."--Lee Child

"One of those crime novels where, once you read the opening scene, you've got no choice but to fall through the rest as fast as possible."--Stephen Graham Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

"A Gift Before Dying announces Malcolm Kempt as the new guy in town. A gripping thriller--both serious and propulsive, Kempt's debut is delivered with insight and authority, pacing and style and is sure to win him fans on both sides of the border."--Ivy Pochoda, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller and author of Sing Her Down

"Rich in atmosphere and relentlessly suspenseful, A Gift Before Dying is a don't-miss-it debut. Kempt conjures his frigid, dark world with graceful prose and haunting imagery that recalls the best of Jo Nesbø and Henning Mankell. If you enjoyed True Detective: Night Country, you'll be overjoyed by this story. I can't wait to see what Kempt does next."--Michael Kortya, New York Times bestselling author of An Honest Man

"A Gift Before Dying is a haunting, immersive, moving story--told by an expert, with great authority and emotion. Keep an eye on Malcolm Kempt--one of my favorite voices in contemporary dark fiction."--Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson, and Thriller Award finalist

"It's a testament to Malcolm Kempt's talent that I didn't want his ghostly crime novel to end. A Gift Before Dying is sure to be considered one of the finest debuts of the year."--Donald Ray Pollock, author of The Devil All the Time

"There's a river of warmth running under this icy, Arctic thriller, with a big bang of an ending you won't soon forget. Hold on tight, because A Gift Before Dying will grip you until the last page."--Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder

"Malcolm Kempt is a brave new author I'd follow anywhere. Set in the Arctic Circle, his illuminating debut, A Gift Before Dying, is ice-cold, yet it still managed to warm my heart by the end."--Eli Cranor, author of Ozark Dogs

"[A] stunning debut . . . From the opening pages, Kempt's remarkably assured narrative evokes a mythic atmosphere, and the author, who spent years living in the Arctic, infuses his haunting tale with vivid sensory details that bring the frigid landscape to life. It's a knockout."--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"With its gripping opening, exciting climax, powerful sense of place and eerie, nicely unforced mysticism, this is a strong debut. A terrific, permafrosted mystery you may want to read with gloves on."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Malcolm Kempt worked as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic for seventeen years before leaving to write full-time. He now lives on the island of Newfoundland.